The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for the continuous thermal sterilization of packings on rotating or reciprocating shafts. Continuous thermal sterilization of packings is required inter alia to avoid the entry or exit of microorganisms from installations used to perform biological processes. The process and apparatus of the invention direct a flow of hot steam condensate through the shaft packing.
Apparatus have been known in the prior art which effect a thermal sterilization of packings with saturated steam. In these prior apparatus, all the elements are connected in a series, from the point of entry of the steam, past the shaft packing, up to the final drain for the steam condensate. These prior apparatus have several disadvantages. For example, they require a very large quantity of steam. Furthermore, they cannot efficiently conduct heat away from the shaft packing because the developing condensate flows only once through the packing on the shaft. As a consequence of this, these prior apparatus are not very efficient and require a very large quantity of steam.